After leaving the New Zealand Warriors NRL side, Selestino Ravutaumada says he felt lost before Hamilton Old Boys threw him a lifeline - this year he became part of the inaugural Swire Shipping Fijian Drua side in DHL Super Rugby Pacific.
The 22-year-old Taveuni, Fiji-born outside back made his debut for the Drua in round one of the Super Rugby Pacific season against the Waratahs at CommBank Stadium, Parramatta.
"It feels good to be back playing with the Fijian boys," says Ravutaumada.
"My family was very proud of me, especially making my Super Rugby debut."
Listed as Drua No.37, Ravutaumada appeared in nine games this season.
His sporting journey has come full circle because it all started back home in Fiji.
In 2014-15, he attended Marist Brothers High School before receiving a scholarship to head to New Zealand where he played for Rotorua Boys' High 1st XV from 2016 to 2018.
Within his time at RBHS, Ravutaumada represented the Chiefs Under-18 side (2017-18), the New Zealand Fijian School Sevens team (2016-17) and the New Zealand Schools Rugby League team (2017-18), before signing with the Warriors in late 2018.
Ravutaumada represented the Junior Kiwis Rugby League team in 2019, playing against the Junior Kangaroos.
The same year he played for the Fiji Bati at the 2019 Rugby League World Cup 9s alongside the likes of Penrith Panthers premiership winner Viliame Kikau and new Wallabies player Suliasi Vunivalu.
As 2020 ticked over, it seemed Ravutaumada would get his chance on the field for the Warriors.
It became a year full of experiences, although not all of them were great.
He played 18 minutes at the 2020 NRL 9s tournament for the Warriors in their 14-8 loss to the Roosters, but due to a season-ending shoulder injury he never made his first-grade debut for the side.
Then in July 2020, Ravutaumada and his Warriors teammate Eliesa Katoa were told by New Zealand border control they would not be permitted to re-enter the country under revised Covid-19 rules because they were not New Zealand citizens.
This was despite the fact Ravutaumada had lived in New Zealand for four years and represented the Junior Kiwis – he was stranded in Australia.
After two years with the Warriors, he was let go and felt as if he didn't know where to go.
Waikato club rugby side Hamilton Old Boys picked up the winger and he featured across the backline for them in the 2021 season.
"I'm pretty lucky because I had nowhere else to go after the Warriors contract. I was pretty lost and no one was able to pick me up. Then Old Boys did, and my journey started from there," says Ravutaumada.
"League is heaps of physical contact and rugby is very different, there's more running, especially on the edge. I've played on the edge my whole life and I've been running the ball ever since I was small. I love rugby, I grew up playing rugby."
Waikato also approached him for the 2021 Bunnings Warehouse NPC and he impressed during pre-season matches, but he couldn't play the season due to visa processing delays.
Ravutaumada is thankful the Drua came knocking at his door and is grateful to be back playing alongside his countrymen, based close to home.
